What happens when ex-Lycoris employees join a Linux-friendly hardware computer reseller? Apparently, a new desktop Linux distro with a kick: the hardware that comes with it is meant to give you the Apple experience. ION Linux is a Debian-based distro that is meant to work well with the hardware it sells with. Read on for our interview with Element Computer's Mike Hjorleifsson (one of the founders and CTO) regarding their new upcoming products and a screenshot of ION.

The representative of Element made it seem as if the integration of hardware and software is what makes Apple go. I don't think so. The Apple formula has three parts: (1) Start with great, custom hardware - much of the point of buying a Mac is that a PC with those ergonomics and style is available from no one else. (I'm a devout PC user, but I've got to give it up for Apple's hardware engineers.) Then (2) you marry to that hardware software functionality built just for it. Finally, (3) you add the distinctive, also well-engineered (so my Mac-using friends swear) user interface for that software.

I've heard many people on this forum mention how the hardware is too expensive, but that's not what gets me: I think the missing Element for Element is that the hardware's too vanilla.